


in my heart, you're a constant star

by starlitren



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Bisexual Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Coffee Addict Leonard "Bones" McCoy, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Titles, Idiots in Love, James T. Kirk is a Sweetheart, Jim has an ESD (emotional support dog), M/M, Non-binary James T. Kirk, Not Beta Read, Other, Spock is a Good Friend (Star Trek), Strangers to Friends, Student James T. Kirk, Surgeon Leonard "Bones" McCoy, hopefully i’ll resolve it in the next chapter, it’s been a while, mckirk is life, so forgive me, this is a bit messy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27551356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlitren/pseuds/starlitren
Summary: Jim is the new barista at the café right across the street from Leonard’s hospital.
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Spock, James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Nyota Uhura, Spock/Nyota Uhura
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	in my heart, you're a constant star

**Author's Note:**

> my first mckirk!! hopefully not the last  
> messy, but i’ll fix it,, i hope  
> really hope you enjoy it!!  
> also:  
> Jim’s dog’s name is shortened version of “Andromeda” and it’s pronounced just like “meda” part  
> another fyi: meda in serbian means bear (but more like teddy bear) :)

Jim just got a job at a café - owned by his best friend - in San Francisco, right across the street from the university hospital. They were 25, doing a master degree in astrophysics, on a scholarship, and living alone with their dog Meda. One could say life was not so bad. Except, maybe, this Monday morning. They woke up on the “wrong side” of the bed. Almost burned half of the kitchen down just trying to make coffee and some decent breakfast. And not to mention running out of hot water before even decently entering the shower. Jim was usually a morning person, but not that day.

Begrudgingly, they started dressing up for their first day at work. A pair of simple jeans, sweater, a coat and a pair of warm boots were good enough to leave the house. Jim filled the water and food bowls before heading outside, kissing Meda on the forehead. As November came around, so did the rain. Cold, chilly air hit their face right as they stepped out. Luckily, Jim didn’t forget to bring their umbrella. Opening it, they headed to their subway station. 

Jim was right on time, 30 minutes before their shift started. They were nervous a bit since it was their first day, but as soon as they entered the coffee shop, it evaporated. Spock was already waiting for them and Jim knew it was just going to be fine with their best friend around.

* * *

Being one of San Francisco’s best surgeons certainly tended to take a toll on Doctor Leonard McCoy. Endless working hours, days gone without sleep, and not to mention seriously unhealthy amounts of coffee, at being only 33. The head nurse Chapel is more often than not seen throwing concerned looks his way, but McCoy got so used to them, that he learned how to ignore them altogether. Being a divorcée and living alone, people pitied him more than it was asked for. So, he avoided his home as much as possible and lived through his work. And in a small coffee shop down the street from his hospital.

That Monday morning, routinely, Christine walked into his office with a big cup of hot coffee in her hands. McCoy murmured out a simple “thanks”, given she does this every time they both work the first shift. He took the first sip and almost burned his tongue. Cussing out loud, he glared at Christine who laughed at him. “What? I knew something was coming.”

Leonard looked at her, confused. “How?”

Chapel just smiled back at him. “They have a new barista. It’s his first day. If I didn’t know you better, you’d get a completely wrong coffee order. I  _ almost  _ forgot what kind you drink,” she said while amusingly sipping through her straw. “Anyway, I’m going back to work now. And,  _ please  _ don’t forget to give Dr M’Benga the documents when you hand the shift over to him. I’m not taking the blame again, he ignored me for a week.”

“Sure, sure,” he sighed out.

She walked out, silently closing the door behind her. McCoy was left to himself and his quiet office again. He almost dozed off, as he didn’t catch a wink of sleep the night before. Shaking his head, he took a big chug of his coffee. It was perfectly hot now. He let out a breath. He felt like this would be a long day.

He did almost forget about the documents, until he saw his colleague walking down the hall. McCoy’s shift was about to end, so he just randomly piled them up and left the papers on M’Benga’s desk while leaving the hospital. As he was too tired to drive, he grabbed the first taxi home.

* * *

First part of Jim’s first day was over. They made a deal with Spock to come 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon shift. By 1 p.m. they were already home, and then out on the walk with Meda. Jim had no complaints about themselves for now. Those first 4 hours went smoothly, even when the morning rush came in, much thanks to their best friend’s help. Customers were generally nice to them, especially after finding out it was their first day.

There was one blonde lady that came in before the rush. She was a bit older than Jim, maybe a year or two, and the nicest person they served that morning. It was apparent Spock and her knew each other. After listening to their conversation, they realized she worked at the hospital across the street and was a friend of Spock’s girlfriend, Nyota. She then introduced herself as Christine.

As she waited for Jim to make her orders, she started another casual chat with their best friend. Mentioning people they never heard about, but Spock knew everyone of course. Christine complained about certain “Dr McCoy” being careless and just living his days on unhealthy amounts of coffee. His best friend sighed.

“You know him, Christine. He doesn’t listen to anyone.”

She stayed on Jim’s mind for the rest of the day. They felt like two of them would be friends. Jim liked Nyota a lot already, they were certain it would be the same for the rest of her and Spock’s friends. At least, they hoped so.

Time until their second shift flew by fast, and Jim was already back to the cafe, this time bringing Meda with them (Spock’s permission, Meda is Jim’s emotional support dog after all).

* * *

Leonard’s much needed nap was short lived. A call from the hospital came, M’Benga was on the other side of the phone. “We need you as soon as possible,” was all he said and the doctor was already on his feet. Being already dressed, Leonard put his shoes on, running out of his apartment. He regretted not coming home with his car.

Coming in 15 minutes after the call, the hospital welcomed him with chaos. He grabbed the nearest nurse by the hand, asking her to fill him in on the situation. 

“There was a chain accident on the highway, sir. Three dead, seven with severe injuries, and five with mild. All have bone fractures, four in life crisis, in need of operations right away.” McCoy only nodded. He’ll get a more detailed explanation along the way. Now he needed to change and get to work.

It was around eight in the morning into the next day, about twelve hours later, that McCoy was finally able to catch a break. He just got out of the last operating room, no patients left in a life danger. He took a seat in his office and let out a breath. Leonard always refused to have a break until all of his patients were stable enough to survive without him for a few hours. It was his personal oath and he stood by it.

Dr. Uhura visited him a few minutes after, silently noticing the dark eyebags and a pale complexion. She didn’t even have to mention a thing for him to know Nyota was silently scolding him. She was their psychiatrist, after all. And given that she was fluent in more than one language, also the hospital’s interpreter.

“Just stop, please.”

Uhura sighed. “Take a vacation, Leonard. You  _ need  _ it.”

“What I  _ need  _ is a cup of coffee. And you? The usual?”

She just nodded. There was no point in arguing with him, and she knew that. McCoy put on his denim jacket, walked out of the hospital, and crossed the street to the café. Entering “Universe”, he saw Spock, the shop’s owner, and next to him an unfamiliar person. They both turned his way when they heard the chime of the door.

“Hello Leonard,” spoke Spock, ever so polite.

“Mornin’ to you too, Spock. Two usuals, one for your lady and one for me.” The man only nodded, already working on the two orders. In the meantime McCoy took a look at the new barista. The man was tall, maybe slightly more than him. He had dirty blonde hair and a pair of icy blue eyes. His nametag simply said  _ Jim _ . Leonard couldn’t help but think the man was pretty.

Spock noticed his staring, deciding at that moment to break the silence. “Leonard, this is Jim. Jim, Leonard.  _ They _ ,” he pierced at McCoy with his eyebrow raised, “are our new barista, as well as my best friend. You’ll have to get used to giving your full order for some time.” The doctor caught the drift. It will take some time getting used to it inside his own head, but he will never do it out loud. No matter how grumpy and scowly he feels, and looks, Leonard is still a doctor and it’s his  _ job  _ to make people feel comfortable and accepted in his presence. 

Jim smiled at Spock’s obvious protectiveness. McCoy just gulped. The word “pretty” flashed through his head.

Picking up his orders two minutes later, and paying, he left the café with the new barista as an addition to his already troubled mind.

**Author's Note:**

> my twitter is @captainmckirk if anyone wants to follow me <3


End file.
